Reaching Out
by Tigress in da room
Summary: AU. a young girl, soon to be a woman, is a student in a school for students of all realms. there, she practices her magic, causes mischief, and falls for one of her teachers. she knows the love they feel is real, but will the mischief he causes her to work be the end of them both? and will it be the end of their love? slash/AU/pairing: Loki/OC. rated M for future content.
1. Chapter 1

Reaching out

Chapter 1: Arriving Late

The Vanir-Aesir Hall was a strange place. It was a beautiful old mansion, full of dark wood and gilded surfaces, set on the top of a forested hill. The trees were so thick that none could find it other than teachers and students.

As I walked through the thick pine, following the leader of my group, I wondered about some things.

Like how even Jotnar attended a school named for only two peoples.

And how age did not matter here. Some teachers were as young as me, or as old as King Odin himself. The same goes for the students.

The Hall was most definitely a strange place. But it was also incredibly beautiful.

I picked up my pace slightly. The Vanir and other Agardians around me were moving faster and I could tell that we were almost there.

As we started climbing over high tree roots, I picked up my skirt slightly and stepped delicately over each one. I was looking forward to learning here, but I was also looking forward to causing mischief.

After all, rumour had it that one of the teachers practically taught it as a subject

As I daydreamed of what wonders I could accomplish, I tripped over a broken root.

Now my beautiful white dress was stained and I cursed long and imaginatively as I ran a palm across the stain. My warm magic melted the mud away and in 5 minutes or so, I was ready to move on.

But as I looked around there was no one to be seen.

I cast around helplessly, my cream colored hair flicking in the dappled light.

I tried to shout for our guide, but Heimdall's name died on my lips. This forest was enchanted, and no sound could carry through it more than a few leagues. I had no idea what to do.

I sat on the very same tree root I had tripped over and rested my staff against my knee. With a small spell, I cast my astral self from my body and I began to look around.

Finding nothing of interest, I let my translucent form float to the tops of the trees. I turned around, suddenly wild with fear. Trees as far as the eye could see.

But there was one last thing I could try.

I raised my narrow hands and began to chant:

'If any do gooder may be near, Aesir, Vanir or anything in between, let them hear me now. I cry for help, but this forest drowns me'

As the spell took hold, I floated down to my body and settled back in it.

There was nothing to but wait. So I bundled my cloak up beneath my head and slept.

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It was night when I woke. The silvery moonlight trickled through the trees, and I could hear frogs croaking and insects humming. All colour had been drained by the night, and only light and dark remained.

I picked up my staff and stretched languorously, each vertebrae in my spine cracking.

Hunger gnawed at me, so I summoned a small plate of cheese and bread. The little silver dish floated alongside me, so I decided to fasten my cloak about my shoulders and set off in the direction that Heimdall had taken.

As I went, I nibbled on the crusty bread spread with soft cheese. I also bewitched my staff to have an orb of yellow light attached to the tip.

But as I continued to walk, the sounds of the forest slowly died down around me. It wasn't long before I was walking in silence.

Yet even that seemed to deepen, and I kept my magic at hand because something told me that there was danger near. I stopped at a fork in the path, suddenly not trusting the ivy encrusted trees for a second.

I let my staff stand by itself and silently slipped my bow over my shoulder. Setting an arrow from the quiver at my hip, I drew it tight a little and continued to walk. My staff floated alongside, as if in orbit.

Suddenly, a low warning howl erupted from the trees beside me. Using my magic to run faster and jump higher through the pines, I fled from the sound. But heavy paws soon followed alongside me. I turned to the side and loosed my arrow. It thunked into it's target, but I heard no howl of pain.

As I turned back to my path, time slowed. I watched in horror at the viciously barbed vine that connected with my ankle and cut almost to the bone. Swapping to a painfully slow glide over ground, I 'hobbled' my way into a large clearing.

My pain took me, and my magic failed. I crashed to the plush grass beneath me, and my blood began to pool.

Black spots danced before my eyes. Something inside me said;

_No! I will not die at the jaws of some mange ridden mongrel!_

I grabbed my staff and pushed myself up. I stood tall to face the sound, but I knew inside that my magic was not strong enough to fight with. The dark thicket of pines shuddered.

It was too dark to see, but I had some Idea of the horror that was approaching.

I slowly raised my staff, and little orb of light spun upwards. As the glow folded outwards, I saw the wolf who had been following me.

He was enormous, at least twice my height. His shoulders were wide, and his leathery muscles were tensed in rage. His long tail was bristled in anger, and he lashed it through the cold air like a whip.

As the wolf drew nearer, I noticed something about him that did not seem right. Though his jaw was open and his angled face was set in a snarl, the keen green eyes that looked back at me were most definitely not those of a wolf.

It hit me like a ton of bricks.

'Fenrir?' I breathed.

The wolf snarled viciously at his name, but didn't come any closer. I saw that my arrow from earlier had nicked his large ear, and it was matting the dark grey fur around it. Stepping forward, I made gentle cooing sounds until I was close enough to see Fenrir's eyelashes.

Wearing my heart upon my sleeve, I reached out and gently cupped the bleeding ear. He bucked with pain, but I pushed my last ounce of magic through my finger tips and healed the cut.

But with nothing left inside me, my body had no choice but to buckle and fall across Fenrir's back.

But he was apparently grateful for the healing spell, because he nudged my shoulder firmly with his hard snout until I was straddled across his lithe back. I watched blearily as my staff was clenched between his teeth, and he leapt forward at what felt like the speed of light.

The forest blurred around me, and I could feel the wolf's muscles thrumming rhythmically beneath me. I lost track of time, but eventually a bright light glowed ahead and I noticed that we must have reached the Hall.

Fenrir came to a halt, breathing deeply with exertion. I had recovered enough of my magic to let myself down, and I drew my cloak around me because it was so cold my breath was turning to ice on my cheek.

I thanked Fenrir, who gently deposited my staff into my hand, and left for the Hall. I was expecting the wolf to bound back into the forest, but instead he walked ahead with predatory grace, guarding me against the night.


	2. Chapter 2: Meeting Master Loki

Reaching Out: Chapter 2

Meeting Master Loki

Fenrir continued to stalk ahead. I followed after him, the glow of The Hall brightening with each step. I drew my golden cloak around me tighter. The hill steepened slightly, and then really quite suddenly, the thick pine forest gave way to a spectacular sight.

The Hall was even more magnificent than was promised. The very brick and stone of the building glowed, and the old manor reached high into the sky. The steps leading up to the enormous oak door were paved in silver, and the various wings and corridors that led off from the main hall were snaking across the dark ground in seemingly random patterns.

I heard a sudden bout of clapping and cheers and I nearly jumped from my skin. It came from the one of the two long wings leading off from the main Hall. I realized with a flash of panic that the welcoming fest had already begun, and that I was terrifically late.

Fenrir proceeded to bound up the steps, and nudge on the oak doors open. He slithered inside without waiting for me. I hitched up my skirts and bounded up the steps, my satin slippers clicking on the polished metal. When I reached the top, the wooden doors seemed to loom even larger.

I put my pale hand against the stained surface of the door, and pushed it open slowly. I was expecting it to creak and groan loudly, but it swung open on well oiled hinges.

Fenrir nodded to me from the centre of the room and made his way up one of the two sweeping staircases that curved round and down to a large fountain.

Taking in the polished wood and gilded surfaces, the rich paintings and tapestries on the wall and the pale marble of the floor in a second, I straightened my cloak and fussed at my hair a little.

Once my reflection in the floor was looking her best, I forced my heart back down into my chest and walked into the dining hall.

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Thankfully, the fest was already in progress and the Vanir, Jotnar and Aesir around me were all talking happily amongst themselves.

The long trestle tables seemed to be arranged by age, so I made my way over to the table for 17 to 18 year olds (I was actually 1700, but we gave our age in Midgardian terms these days).

I elegantly pulled my legs over the bench so I sat opposite a young Storm Giantess. She was just as tall as me, and she probably hadn't even finished growing. Her marbled grey skin glittered like ice in the warm candle light the hall was lit by, and she seemed uninterested in the sumptuous food at hand.

Seeing that she was trying to cast a spell that would turn her rich wine into water, I decided to help her out. I reached out and touched the rim of her goblet, and the dark crimson inside swirled to a crystal clear. Her swirling eyes, like the colour of a raging cyclone, met mine and she blinked in surprise.

'Thank you!' she said in the velvety gravel tone of most Storm Jotnar. She was truly grateful for my help.

'Well, I am here to study magic so I might as well make a start'

She settled back slightly, her dull gunmetal hair falling across her eye.

'Huh…me too' she grinned

I looked around, noticing that she had sat a few seats away from the other teenagers.

'I..er..I'm sorry if I disturbed you' I made to move away, but she grabbed my wrist and held me back

'Please..I only sat here so I would not disturb _them_' she inclined her head towards the other students, who were eating like pigs.

I sat back down and shook her angular hand 'my name's Mica…what's yours?'

'My name's Ensæraa..It means "rip wind", but you can just call me Rip'

'Pleased to meet you Rip' I said warmly. I could not understand why others were so wary of Jotnar; they were people too.

'Likewise Mica…if you don't mind me asking, what does your name mean?'

I laughed lightly 'it's the name of a Midgardian rock. It seems plain, but it glitters brilliantly in the sunlight. My parents named me this because there is no Vanir-Aesir phrase for "she who glitters"'

After that, Rip and I seemed to hit it off. Turns out she was one of only 3 Storm Giants here, and that she too was here to study magic. She had said

'My tutor back on Jotunheim said that I had great power, but it would be difficult to unlock. Magic among Storm Jotnar is rare, so I was sent here to learn more about it'

I told her about Fenrir, and how he had 'rescued' me. She had laughed about it, and told me that Fenrir wasn't actually a wolf; he was a shape shifter, which explained the green eyes. I mused to myself; it_ must have been Fenrir that my spell summoned suppose he counts as a do gooder._

I was absolutely ravenous from using all my magic earlier, so as I ate, I gestured to the table set slightly higher than our own. The teachers were all up there, talking among themselves.

The crowned king of Asgard, Thor Odinson, was seated in the middle. He wasn't always able to be here, but as headmaster of the school, he considered it a priority.

But the spot on his right was empty. The teacher of Magical Arts had yet to arrive then.

On Thor's left, sat Lady Sif, and Masters Hogun, Fandral and Volstagg. Unsurprisingly, the latter (who was head of cultural culinary studies) was stuffing his face with roast venison. Sif, leader of battle practices, was sharpening her dagger against the metal edge of the table.

Fandral, as Master of inter cultural etiquette (aka, Master of how to get along with any lady from any realm classes), was obviously ogling the Elvin serving maid who kept giggling by his shoulder.

Most of the other teachers were behaving perfectly normally however. But I couldn't help but wonder who my teacher of Magical Arts would be.

Bemused for some reason, I turned back to my food. The soup turned to dust in my mouth though.

Whilst everyone else continued eating, I felt as if the whole gravity of the room had shifted. The door that the teachers filed in through had opened. And the most incredible person I had ever seen stepped through it.

He wasn't loud or brash, or made of muscle. Instead, he was trim, lithe and well dressed. The neat black suit he wore, with the green and gold scarf, accented his hunter's build perfectly. And somehow, he made the golden helmet, with it's curved horns, fit perfectly with the suit.

He took his place next to Thor, and quietly began to pick at his food.

It felt wrong to stare, but I simply couldn't help myself. He was so young; he could only be one or two years older than me.

Rip nudged my hand and I hastily broke my gaze. But for a split second, those keen green eyes had met mine, and I was transfixed.

He hadn't said a word, yet I somehow knew that Master Loki, my teacher of Magical Arts, was full of mystery and secrets.

This school was getting more interesting by the minute.


	3. Chapter 3:New Room & Strange Occurences

Reaching Out: A New Room and Strange Occurrences

I nearly spluttered on my mouthful of soup. I really had _not_ felt like all my secrets were laid bare before him and I most certainly did _not_ have an unusual urge to talk to him. But he broke his Keen gaze, and Master Loki was once more talking quietly with his brother.

As a mischief maker I couldn't help but notice feel several things. He was a teacher. And therefore he was to be .Ignored.

But I couldn't help but grin at all the ways I could make a fool of him.

He was the God of Mischief, but if he was a teacher he had to be past that right?

Anyhow, dinner was over and I had to find my room. I asked Rip if she would share with me, but she had her own room. Apparently all the students of magic did. I tucked some more food into the space between spaces for later: stored between dimensions it could last for years.

I lifted myself from the bench in one clean movement, the Vanirian nobility in my blood rushing to the surface. I stepped elegantly but purposefully from the hall and I made sure my cloak fluttered eye catchingly. I don't know why, but I was having a strange urge to show off as much as possible tonight.

I was damn sure the Trickster had seen something. I didn't know what I didn't want him to see in my thoughts, or if he had, but he had seen something. Unfortunately, whilst I could do it, mind reading was one of my weaknesses and if he could read me like a damn book, chances are he'd feel a presence in his thoughts straight away.

But knowing what was going on in that educated head was extremely tempting.

It was strange how quickly the hall seemed to empty out, but when Rip teleported away with ease in nothing but a flurry of rain and wind (Storm Jotnar magic was strange in how it worked), I realized just how many magically able students were attending.

Even the non magic students tore off up the sweeping marble staircases in the central lobby. Within just a minute, I was alone.

For some reason I was disappointed Master Loki had not spoken to any of his students about upcoming lessons

But instead of teleporting to my room, I had enough of a lock on the location from the arrival scroll that had been sent home, I decided to walk through the halls and corridors and try to get more of a feel for this place.

And being the little imp I am, hopefully search out some good spots for pranks to lay.

As Lady Sif would say: 'time spent on reconnaissance is rarely wasted'

_Let's hope not_ I thought grimly. I shivered at what the penalties might be for being caught out of bed.

I glided through the corridors for a good hour before I decided that it would be better to search by day and teleported to my room.

Apparently, I wasn't a second too soon. It was a side effect of teleporting that your senses were divided for a minute or so between where you were and where you had teleported too, so I jumped out of my skin when I felt rather than heard footsteps rapping smartly against the marble.

The strides were short, so I shook it off and decided that one of the dwarves must have wanted a glass of water or something.

But that aside, I could tell that The Hall cared for it's students. The room was deceptively large (and I'm pretty sure a space manipulation charm was at work here) and very well furnished. A four-poster bed hung with beautiful blue drapes was settled against the far right wall and the large circular window had a window seat set in crisp green.

Cushions and chairs and other plush items of fabric were dotted around the room, and I was actually looking forward to homework with one glance at the large, stained teak desk on the other side of the room. The ceiling was high and the room was cosy and colourful, but still spacious and regal. The walls were panelled in more of that wonderful dark teak, but I had no shame in adorning them in the Midgardian posters I had picked up a while ago with a sweep of my hand.

There was a door next to the desk, and I opened it curiously. I was expecting a wardrobe, but the ensuite bathroom caught me off guard.

_There is no way in Hel that every single room has it's own ensuite!_

But apparently it was. The porcelain bath was round and set into the grey slate tiled floor and the small holes in the dark ceiling told me it was also a shower. The sink on the left had an enormous pale marble counter that reached wall to wall, stretching along with the flawless mirror that covered the entire wall. There was a gilded dish holding all sorts of brightly colored soaps and a suspicious poke told me that the satin bag slumped in the corner was full of fine rubbing salts. I could also sense that they were enchanted to leave hair and skin silky smooth.

_Salts like that only come all the way from the Mountain Glades in Vanaheim…_

Enjoying my obviously female orientated dormitory, I indulged in girly pleasure and spun, giggling.

As my cloak glittered in the mirror, my keen eyes saw a scrap of parchment tucked in the mirror's frame.

The writing was neat and elegant and in a slanted, curling script. It was beautiful, but the refined, elegant and educated hand that wrote it was obviously a man. It only read

'_I hope you enjoy your stay, Miss Mica'_

I figured it was something all the students received. There were servants here, but there were too many students to have one on hand to welcome you to your quarters.

I left the bathroom and hung my cloak on the hook beside the door to the hallway and brushed out my hair.

I was happy to find my clothes unpacked into the tall chests of drawers, and my dresses hung in the wardrobe, which was for some inexplicable reason, hidden away between the bookshelf and dressing screen.

It was into the small hours of morning now, and students had a day to settle in and explore, so I changed into my pure white night gown, tossing the loose end of the length of silk that wrapped tightly around my ankles all the way up to my collar bone over my shoulder.

Even wrapped up my tall frame, the loose end still trailed along the floor.

I shamelessly clutched my wolf puppy plushling to my chest and burrowed under the shimmery blue comforter and duvet.

As soon as my head hit the collection of pillows, I was asleep.

**AN: I hope to update this fic weekly, so if you have any suggestions for plotline, feel free to drop them by!**

**P.S: free imaginary cookies to anyone who can name what film Lady Sif's quote about recon is from :D**

**Reviews always welcome,**

**Tigress**


	4. Chapter 4: The Stange Note

Reaching Out: The Strange Note

When I woke, the sun was streaming through the circular window and my face was warmed by it's gentle beams. The duvet and pillows ere so comfortable, I considered staying in bed all day.

But a prankster never stops, and I had work to do.

I decided that I wanted my main quarry to be Master Loki Lauffeyson. If anyone else fell my tricks, then they were just bonuses.

I couldn't resist the idea of getting one up over the God of Mischief himself.

I lazily rolled out of bed and brushed my long hair as I watched the sun rise from the window seat. A quick probe with my magic told me that almost everyone was still asleep.

I dressed in a long sundress that faded from deep blue at the hem to crisp white at the neck line. I threw a sheer blue scarf around my neck and over my shoulders for a little warmth and I reached into subspace for the food I had secreted away yesterday.

But I frowned in confusion when all that remained were a few bread rolls and a little dish of chocolate strawberries.

I shook this away though, because I had been told by various roommates that I sometimes used magic in my sleep. Reaching into subspace to snack in the night was hardly a new thing for me.

But I ate what was left to save from going down to breakfast, because I wanted as much time as possible to explore without the crowds of students.

I went into my bathroom and brushed my teeth and sprayed a little floral perfume.

And I jumped out of my skin when I found Rip sitting comfortably on my window seat.

'Rip! What the Hel are you doing here?!'

She turned her head to me and grinned

'Well I heard one of the other magic able students saying you couldn't teleport into each other's rooms. But I decided to try it and I figured you would be a good target because I already know you'

'But how did you teleport without a lock?'

'I didn't lock onto the room. I locked onto your presence'

It made me shiver a little that anyone I knew could pretty much teleport directly in here, but I figured Rip would pay the price later with a replica of a Bilgesnipe in her room at night.

But I had gathered that Rip was as much of a mischief maker as I, so I figured I'd bring her along for exploration. I wanted to ask her about the note though.

'Say Rip'

'Yeah?'

'Did you have a note tucked in the frame of your mirror?'

'Yes..Why?'

'Just go get it and I'll show you'

She swiftly teleported away and back again, and she showed me the scrap of parchment. But the writing on hers was small and concise, and obviously written by a female hand.

She raised an eyebrow at my confused look and I waved her over into the bathroom with me.

The little bit of parchment was there on the counter top, where I'd left it.

The difference between the two was enormous. One pretty and feminine, the other slanted and masculine.

'Well if you want to find out who it is, you could always head down to the library and check the school's register. It has everyone's handwriting in it. Even the teacher's'

I just hmmed softly and wondered at who the writer might have been.

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In the end, I went down to breakfast with Rip and the dining hall was sparse at this time of morning. Thankfully Laufeyson and his teacher's curiosity were not present in the room and me and Rip could stuff ourselves in peace.

Once we had eaten, we made our way through the endless corridors and staircases till we found the library.

It was enormous. 2 floors high, and shelves still circling round up into the vaulted domed ceiling, the library was lushly furnished with soft armchairs and dark stained tables. I went and fetched the register and sat down with Rip on the table by the high, floor to ceiling windows.

I had a gut feeling that it was a teacher's writing, so I sifted through to the back of the heavy bound book and ran my long finger down the columns of names.

I had to laugh lowly to myself, for my suspicion had proven me right.

As I had suspected, it was Master Loki's elegant and sophisticated script upon my mysterious note.

But now the only question was why he had done it in the first place.

**AN: a short chapter, I know, but I wanted to kind of set things in motion between Loki and Mica. Don't worry though; mischief will ensue in the next chapter :D**

**Reviews welcome,**

**Tigress**


	5. Chapter 5: Cruel Joke

Reaching Out: Cruel Joke

After Rip and I left the library, I had to laugh to myself over how Master Loki already had my mind whirling in circles and I hadn't even spoken to him yet. As we wandered and chatted down the halls, I was too caught up in my mind to notice the very object of my thoughts before it was too late.

Within a heartbeat of his green eyes meeting mine, and as his pale brow began to crinkle, I cast a swift and hopefully strong mind block.

I don't know why, but it was imperative that the Trickster stayed out of my thoughts.

As soon as I felt the magic settle behind my brow, the moment was gone.

Lauffeyson continued to chat with one of the other teachers, and Rip and I were on our way.

I let my Vanirian nobility out a little, and the feminine swagger it gave to my step somehow made me feel as if the gaze boring into my back was legitimized.

I thickened my mind block with each step, until we turned a corner down one of the gilded hallways and Master Loki was gone once more.

It wasn't until we got back to my room and both I and Rip had cast muffling spells that I finally told her about Loki. She found it strange that I could tell (or imagine) so much from nothing but a fleeting glance of eyes.

But both I and the Trickster knew better.

And it was because of that silver tongued bastard that I brushed my hair out a little more carefully when I got ready for bed.

And because of him that I made sure I shielded my mind from any others.

No one needed to know I dreamt of him.

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Again, the sun woke me, it's tender arms falling on me with more than care. The lingering dreams made it feel as though the suns gentle arms enfolding me were the slim, strong ones of a certain teacher.

I didn't even bat the thought away. Or admit to myself that I possibly liked him.

Because that would have ruined the moment, and the extra few seconds of his embrace were as precious to me as crumbs are to a starving man.

I checked my schedule on the parchment on the desk. I needn't be ready until 8:00, and my first class was at 9:00.

So I had a whole blissful hour to myself in the bathroom.

Granted, the whole of The Hall was amazing, but for me the best part was my bathroom.

I glanced at myself in the mirror, and poked a little at my cheeks as any girl is entitled to.

I waved my wrist and hot water began to bubble up in the bottom of the bath. I took undressing as a good opportunity to stretch and regain my usual Aesir flexibility as I slowly unwound my nightdress, setting the now simple length of white silk upon the counter.

As I reached for the pouch of rubbing salts, however, I noticed a slight movement in the corner of my eye.

It was too quick for me to even register the colour of the thing, but I still whipped around and had both palms crackling with bolts of dark purple and sparks of darkness before the salts hit the tiles.

But as I suspected, nothing was there, and I forced the dangerous dark magic back through my feet and made sure it found it's way to the ground.

As soon as it was earthed, I used my normal magic to draw each grain of spilt salt into my hand and then gently poured it back into the satin pouch.

Ignoring the movement as a simple quirk of the old building's magic, I set back to enjoying my bath and I made sure that every scrap of my skin enjoyed the combination of valuable bath salts and water that never grew cold.

As I relaxed in my hot water, I let my magic run free.

This was one of my favourite things to do, as it expressed magic as it truly was, something that resides in you and has a complete mind of it's own.

As the magic had space to be creative, I was careful to keep the lazy, half awake state of mind that let it flourish.

Slowly, the water beneath began to well up around me, and I was lifted into the air by a little roiling blob of water. Once very drop of water was in the air, it slowly engulfed me until I was centred in a very ball of liquid warmth.

The world blurred around me, and my control slipped even further on the magic. I watched in half lidded interest as my skin began to glitter slightly, and my legs bound together and turned into the silky, long tail of a Vanirian mermaid.

My hands became webbed and I felt my bones become slighter, more elfin and elongated.

As when I was trying to retain the feeling of a dream, I remained impassive to the magic as the warm water expanded outwards and filled the entire bathroom.

I then took a firm hold of the magic and 'awakened' myself.

The hold stayed firm, and I rotated in the glimmering water to look at my mermaid form in the mirror.

The creature that looked back was something to behold.

My hair was longer, and the golden threads wafted around me in the currents, and my ears were slightly pointed.

I was taller, and my form was even slimmer, my ribs slightly visible beneath alabaster skin that glittered with transparent scales.

I opened and clenched my hands slightly to keep in place, and the elegant webs folded in and out rhythmically.

My tail was long and sleek; the red and copper scales folded neatly flat, the lines between them reflecting holographic rainbows. My tail fin was very elegant: just as light and thin as my hair, but still a brilliant ruby that glittered in light that came from everywhere. The delicate edges of the chevron drifted and fell, and the two side fins a little lower than where my hips would have been were like ribbons that were longer than I was tall.

I looked back at my high cheek bones, and more angular face, seeing how my eyes were both as liquid and large as an ocean but still retained the sharp feline angle of a predator.

My golden orbs somehow grew glassy underwater, and as the gills fluttered delicately on my neck, I wished I could stay this way forever.

But I saw the sudden movement again, and my delicate tail became that of a shark, my bones became so sharp and angular that I became a skeleton with skin and I grew fangs to rival those of a lion. My back hunched, and agony ripped through me as my vertebrae grew out my skin. The pain only engorged my anger though. My black magic crackled back in my palms, hissing and spitting in the now darker water. I turned and beat my tail rapidly, searching the dark depths until up became down and I was more shark than person.

And eventually, I lost so much of my human mind that I lost the magic and reverted back to my normal self in a second.

The magic drew deep inside me, the black magic rushed down to the ground and the water drained away all around me.

And suddenly I was back in the bath, in the sunlight, but I was shivering and I could swear that the water my senses remained in rippled with mocking laughter.

**AN: I know it isn't exactly mischief, but this little plot bunny formed and I couldn't leave it. I wanted to kind of express how the nature of magic might be, and it's changeability, but I also wanted to show Mica's darker and more reckless and chaotic side.**

**Also, I feel no shame in implying inappropriate dreams of certain Gods of Mischief :D**

**P.S: you see that sweet little blue box down there? It's called a review box it happens to be very hungry. I'm sure it would appreciate a few words to sate it's gnawing hunger**

**Suggestions welcome,**

**Tigress xxx**


	6. Chapter 6: Lessons Late

Reaching Out Chapter 6: Lessons Late

I shivered in the empty bath, the room quickly draining of steam. I felt angry and confused, but I wasn't sure who this was directed towards.

I rose from the tub and quickly wrung out my golden hair. I magicked it dry, then quickly brushed it and put on my perfume and makeup for the day. I wasn't really sure what to wear, so I rushed out into my room and yanked on the doors of the wardrobe, throwing on whatever dress I found first.

It was a dark, forest green, and fitted tightly at the bodice, but then the thin cotton floated and flowed out elegantly like a leaf. I wrapped a narrow belt made from circles of golden metal at the join between fitted and loose, and threw a shawl of spider's silk so light and see through around my shoulders that It's pale green colour was almost invisible.

I snapped my elegant watch around my wrist and put a black choker around my pale throat. The dark green circle was an orb of forest air, and it swirled and glittered slightly. Hopefully it's good luck charm was still potent.

I checked my watch, swore inventively at the time and gathered up my horde of old tomes and spell books before dashing out the door. I almost forgot my shoes and bag on the way, but thankfully when I emerged into the bustling hall I was clothed, washed, shoed and dressed.

I was at the head of the crowd, so not knowing how crowded it would be in the main Atrium of Magicks, where my class was being held, I pictured the dark shadows in the alcoves, the circular walls, the cracking alabaster, it's feel of ruin held together by invisible forces…

And then I was there. Apparently my gamble had paid off, because the heavy black ebony doors and all their shining silver metalwork were still closed and there was no sound of voices, from within or without.

Even so, I cast a cloak of thin shadows around me and nudged the door open. A sigh of air rushed in, and I stepped out onto dark blue carpets. The huge circular hall was ringed with rows of seats, all leading down to a stage a few floors down where Master Loki would presumably take his lecture.

The place was empty, and quiet, but I still dashed across the suspicious and awkward space, up a flight of carpeted stairs, and took a seat right in the shadows at the back. I could see perfectly though, and I was glad to have the time to get my books out on the desk and let my charmed peacock quill write out today's date across the top of the page and neatly underline it.

I was amusing myself by suspending bright tiger lilies within bubbles when the chatter of the other students reached my ears. As the doors below and to my left opened, quite far away, hundreds of students poured in. there were even more than was possible to fit within the Hall's dormitories.

_Must be here for day classes_ I thought.

Within five minutes everyone was seated, but I was a good few rows above everyone else. I popped all the lily-bubbles back into the space between spaces that magick came from, but kept one particularly bright pink and orange blossom behind my ear to try and stave off the Atrium's musty smell.

Everyone was settled, with quills at the ready, but after a few more minutes everyone was restless.

Apparently, Master Loki was late for his own lecture.

I couldn't help but snigger to myself.

**AN: I know! No updates blah… awkward stopping point blah… where's the smut blah etc. I just wanted to show you guys that I haven't died or been whisked off to Asgard (unfortunately) or whatever, so here ya go :D **

**Don't worry, epic magick lessons with Loki coming up next,**

**Tigress In Da Room**

**xxxxx**


	7. Chapter 7: Time Well Spent

Reaching Out: Chapter 7: Time Well Spent

The student around me grew restless.

Another five minutes went past, and still no Loki.

No one had come to sit near me, so I closed my eyes and imagined floating above myself, liquid as a dream...

With a feeling of stretching taffy, my astral self slipped free of my body, which looked peaceful below me with her slow, deep breaths and languid pulse below her jaw.

I was completely invisible to the other students, so I decided to have a little fun while I was undetectable. I may not have been able to touch and use things in this state, but my magic was a lot stronger.

I swam through the stale air to a group of young Elves, some of them so young as to still have the rare one or two blemishes that marked Elven puberty. They were chatting comfortably, and looked entirely too comfortable.

_Time to change that_ I thought.

I used my magic to conjure a simple moth that had fluttered around me earlier to dance in front of their noses. They batted it away half heartedly, so I used the real one to make several copies.

The little flutter bugs enveloped the Elves in a cloud brushing wings, and the slight young girl squealed loudly.

I moved on down the rows until I found another student, this time a rather fat Asgardian boy who had the nerve to be sleeping blatantly in class. There was a glass of water on the small desk that came out of his arm rest, so I knocked it over right into his crotch.

As he jumped up like a whipped horse, I moved down the rows further.

_Ooops_ I giggled to myself.

I located another student, talking quietly with a few other Jotnar. I figured it was high time Rip payed for teleporting in on me the day before. And for not telling me she shared a class with me.

As I had promised myself, I decided a jump scare was in order.

I settled myself in the empty seat right next to Rip and held my ghostly hands out in front of me. I pictured the Bilgesnipe easily, with it's warty and gnarled black flesh that glittered wetly, it's towering size, the thin, needle like legs and piercing yellow eyes with red pupils…

With a gargling roar, the Bilgesnipe reared into life from thin, and proceeded to charge around awkwardly over the seats surrounding Rip and her classmates.

As the insect tumbled around and roared in frustration, I had to laugh my full throaty laugh at the incredibly high scream she let forth. I laughed even harder when she shape shifted herself into a Storm Albatross, to glide with long wide wings and ragged grey feathers in the air over the incredible scene I had made.

My laughter made me lighter, and I floated and tumbled slowly in the air. When my laughter finally died, and the Bilgesnipe had gotten stuck between a couple of chairs, I saw the ebony doors open once more, but no one followed.

Immediately realizing the situation, I hurriedly disappeared the false Bilgesnipe in a cloud of fireworks and rushed myself back into my body with a quiet shuddering breath.

As I collected myself back in my chair, Rip gracefully landed back on her chair and groomed her feathers a little as if nothing had happened before turning back into her grey skinned self.

The stairs beside me at the end of my row suddenly felt used, and I glanced across to see that Master Lauffeyson had finally showed up.

Before he strode down the carpeted steps, he straightened the collar of his clothes a little, the layers of black and green fabric wrapped in a tight and complex tunic rustling really quite loudly.

And as if he knew I was there, he looked at me for a moment, and winked one of those beautiful green eyes at me. He held my gaze for but a moment, his pools of emerald full of amusement, curiosity and just the tiniest, almost imperceptible spark of black lust.

I was worried that I was gawking like a koi fish, so I saved face by giving him a cheeky little wave, with which another of my bright orange tiger lilies appeared in the edge of his collar.

He just smirked and strode down the stairs, as if I had simply said hello.

_This is going to be one interesting lesson _I mused.

_This, my tricky friend means war!_

I didn't even bother to hide my evil grin of pleasure.

**AN: yay, update rush for you guys! I'm trying to rush through the chapters so I can get to that sweet smut I know you all want (secretly you do, don't lie :D) but I am also trying to make each chapter meaningful and funny. Today I thought I would show you just how mischievous Mica is, and start to build up the sexual tension between her and our favourite magic teacher…**

**Reviews ****welcome **** required,**

**Tigress In Da Room.**

**P.S: Loki's magic and…bedroom mischief…is indirectly powered by reviews :D**


	8. Chapter 8: Loki's Lecture

Reaching Out: Chapter 8: Loki's Lecture

I had been right to be suspicious. Something about the way the Trickster swaggered down the steps as if he owned the place (which I suppose he did) made me feel simmering anger, sinking dread and light curiosity.

As he moved down the rows, the students quieted and Loki took his place at the centre of the stage. He looked around at the rows of now attentive students, and he locked eyes with me in the top row for the briefest of seconds, and that was when I knew I had started a war.

In challenge, I raised my brow at him as if to say:

'Come and have a go then!'

Before he moved his gaze onwards.

I now regretted my bout of rebellion, and I decided to try and remain as covert as possible. Loki also seemed to decide that my tricks were nothing more than that, and the tall elegant man began with his lecture.

'Now I was going to lecture you about the sources of magick and why everyone's magick takes a slightly different form. For example;'

And as his voice carried through the silent Atrium, he conjured up a stunning grey horse, which danced and skipped across the seats. I felt the creature's rush of air hit me even at the back and I was pretty sure that Loki had forgotten the little war I had almost started.

'But no. whilst I was late, gathering my teaching materials, one of your number decided to have a little fun'

_Oh Norns protect me_ I thought

'Could everyone who was subject to this trickster please raise their hand'

The group of Elves raised their hands. Then the fat Asgardian boy. And finally Rip and her group of Jotnar friends.

'Thank you. Now I would ask the trickster to please reveal themselves…'

_No way in Hel, Silvertoungue! _I thought victoriously.

Loki strode across the stage, as if he were deep in thought.

'I only ask so that we can acknowledge this trickster's skill and creativity'

He knew it was me. Now he was hoping I would fall for the trap.

I decided that I had to take quick action, so when Loki let his gaze fall to the other side of the Atrium; I made a little whirl of my hand beneath the desk and conjured another tiger lily within a bubble behind Loki's head.

The students snickered, and Loki turned around, expecting the errant trickster to have come forward. But of course, the lily bubble turned with him, and he still did not appear to see or sense the spell. I smiled a little, waiting for the crowd to settle.

All went quiet once more, and another hand movement had the bubble double in size, and start dripping water all over the carpet. The students laughed properly this time, and again Loki turned to the audience.

I kept up the action for a while; swell the bubble, wait for Loki to turn, let the crowd go quiet and repeat. After about 4 repetitions, I had some of the crowd in tears of laughter and the lily bubble was as big as the man it was enchanted to stick to.

But I decided to go for the knockout blow, so I swelled the bubble one last time and predictably, Loki turned. He came nose to nose with the great bubble, and I loved the sight of his cultured eyes crossing to focus on the hovering object.

Just as he was about to touch it, I popped the bubble in a little shower of sparks, and the lily remained, it's bright petals twirling slowly in the stale air.

Loki had by now recovered from his surprise and spent several minutes walking around the enormous lily, and observing it. But he didn't touch it. He kept this up, and I felt my patience slip a little, but I kept the spell up.

Eventually, he reached out to touch it and I knew that I had him hook, line and sinker

_Oh, no. you can't touch it_

Just before his finger met the velvety petals, I moved the spell, and with a little rustle of petals, the lily moved to the middle of the aisle up to the seats. I knew he wouldn't chase after it, but I still felt disappointed when he said;

'You really think I'm going to chase after it my friend?'

He was laughing now, and I desperately tried to think of some way that I could really rub his nose in it.

He waited patiently on stage while I hurried for a thought, and he tapped his foot pleasantly against the dark floorboards.

I eventually got a thought, and I conjured up an illusion of a tiny beagle puppy. The little creature tottered down the relatively steep stairs, and each time he fell over, the whole crowd released an 'awww' of sympathy.

Even Loki seemed taken in, and he walked slowly down the stage to pick up the little creature. But as he started kneeling down to pick up the puppy, I made it dash round to the side and latch onto his leg. His expression was one of perplexion until I made the dog move.

When it started to enthusiastically hump his leg, the crowd exploded with laughter. Loki simply waved his hand through the middle of the beagle pup ad it disappeared with a little flicker.

I was getting close, but I could feel that I still hadn't quite managed to get one over the Trickster god.

I had an idea straight away though, and I knew I would probably pay for this very dearly, but anyway, I gave it a go.

This spell was more complex, so I risked closing my eyes to see the illusion as it took shape. I imagined the black coat, the eight powerful legs, head held high with pride…

With a gust of wind, an illusion of Loki's son, Sleipnir, bounded down the steps and I wrote in shimmering gold text in the air;

'Father! I'm so glad to see you'

Loki anticipated this, and said;

'Ah, but you are not my son, are you? You are just an illusion, cast by this talented trickster in the crowd.'

I went along with it, and changed the text to;

'I am hurt, Father! What happened to all those times when you would sneak into the stables and slip carrots and apples into my stall?'

It was a lame line, but it seemed to annoy the Trickster a little. His dark brows furrowed ever so slightly, and his shoulders tensed.

'Do not speak of it. I should never have done those things! You were taken out of my care at such a young age!'

My heart burned a little with guilt, but I was too far into the spell to stop now. I made Sleipnir nicker a little, and raise his head defiantly. The text rippled as I changed it a third and final time. If this didn't work, I was out of ideas.

'If you don't stop lying to all these nice people…I'll tell them how I was born!'

Loki took this in his stride and waved it off.

_Big mistaaaake!_ I chanted in my head.

'Fine then. Everyone in the audience, pay attention!'

Sleipnir turned around to look across the students, and I changed the text again.

'I was born because….MY FATHER DID IT WITH A HORSE!'

My laughter at Loki's sharp expression made Sleipnir dance and whicker in excitement before fading into dust with the writing above him. The hall was filled with laughter and some people were coughing because they were laughing so much. I knew that Loki hadn't actually done anything with a horse to produce Sleipnir, rather the eight legged horse was a product of his magic.

But the Loki-slept-with-a-horse story was too great to resist, and many other people truly thought that this was Sleipnir's origins.

As Loki blushed furiously, and stormed out of the room in a towering rage, I gathered up all my books and teleported back to my room.

For my first lesson, it had gone pretty well

**AN: I know! I know. No updates in A MONTH, etc. feel free to hate me. But I have been writing an M rated Rise of the Guardians fic if you want to check it out, and I've been struggling for inspiration with this one. So I have decided that this will be the last chapter update on this fic until I have finished the other one. That way, I can concentrate on just one thing at a time and give it my best, rather than dividing my attention. Sorry peeps **** but if you want to read something else, I have got other writing on the internet at ?m=1&do=work&who=22528**

**Reviews welcome,**

**Tigress in Da Room**


	9. Chapter 9: Author's Notes

Authors Notes: sorry guys!

As you might have noticed, I've seriously been struggling to keep my updates regular and close together on all my fics. This is mainly because I have had a fuck-ton of exams recently, and only more to come, as well as the fact that all the time I would have been writing in I've either not been in the right frame of mind to write, or I've been role-playing my OC on Tumblr. The Tumblr thing's just starting to take off, so until it's got a good steady set of threads coming and going, I probably won't be updating anything with the quantity or quality of work I was before, if ever.

There might be an occasional one-shot now and again, but nothing absolutely stellar, purely because I'm not in the mood for oneshots at the moment, but I will get the requests I currently have done.

Probably the only thing I will update when I can is my ROTG fic, A King's Queen, because I'm really getting into it as I've AU'ed and OC'd it so much that I hardly have to keep original characters in character anymore and it's also getting closer and closer to the climax of that particular story.

So, in short, updates will most likely be put on hold for an unknown length of time, but the ROTG fic will be the priority when it comes to updates. Also, the other fics are on hold because I feel like I hardly know my characters and plots anymore, so I seriously need to take a step back and look at how I'm writing everything. Updates will resume regular pattern at some point, most likely near the summer holidays here in England.

Keep following guys, I will get round to everything eventually ,

Tigress in Da Room

P.s: All those of you that have faithfully reviewed, favourite and followed thus far, you have my thanks for putting up with and supporting me for so long. Peace out dudes.


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